A Thunderbolt from the sky..A thunderbolt that could make change.A Thunderbolt that will tear apart the black clouds of imperialism and communalism that had covered India.Yes change is inevitable..Change will Come..

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The Maharashtra State Committee of the All India Democratic Women’s
Association (Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana) expresses deep
concern and outrage at the high handed arrest of two young women in
Palghar, Thane for expressing on ‘Face book’ their discomfort at the
complete shutdown in Mumbai following the death of Bal Thackeray. The
local Shiv Sainiks, true to the intolerance practiced by their party,
intimidated them into giving a forced apology and complained to the
police. Shockingly, the Palghar police, instead of providing them with
security and taking action against those harassing them, arrested the
two young women on serious charges of outraging religious feelings and
posting an offensive message. These were later changed to an arbitrary
charge of ‘creating enmity’ after a public uproar. This is a complete
travesty of the Constitutional right to democratic freedom of expression
available to every citizen of India.

The complicity of the Police emboldened the local Shiv Sainiks and
their supporters to vandalise two hospitals of a relative of one of the
women and intimidate their families. The police did not act against, nor
arrest, those responsible for breaking law and order. These
developments seriously compromise our democratic functioning and weaken
the law and order in the state. The AIDWA in Thane has continuously
being raising the problem of arbitrary and false cases and lack of
action by the rural Thane police who side with political elements and
criminal forces.

We demand that the Maharashtra Government takes strict action against
those responsible for the arbitrary arrest and charges. The Shiv
Sainiks responsible for the harassment and violence must be arrested
immediately. The Government must ensure protection for the young women
and their families, withdraw the false cases and compensate them for the
high handedness of the police.